Gabriel blows his trumpet at the end of the play, signifying the end of the world. This event has significant consequences for those around him, and fences play an important role in this story. (Fences) protect people and property from harm, and they also serve as a physical boundary between different areas. In this instance, the fences that protect Gabriel’s property from the wicked spirits that live in the forest are damaged in the aftermath of Gabriel’s outburst. This demonstrates how technology – in this case, Gabriel’s trumpet – can have negative consequences when used incorrectly.
Gabriel’s last line is, “Peace, peace,” and the audience is supposed to take this as a sign that the battle is over. But this doesn’t happen because the trumpet is not silent at all.
The trumpet plays for a couple of minutes, signaling the battle to continue. The people hear the music, and they do not know whether the war is about to begin or to end. Some of them go back to their houses and resume their daily lives. Others continue to stay in their positions. Only a few of them, however, continue fighting. They are the ones who have been fighting against Gabriel and his army throughout the entire play. The trumpets that Gabriel plays are meant to show that he is still fighting, but he has lost the battle.
